Africans Rising Calls on African Governments to Protect Consumers Against Price Gouging
Africans Rising for Justice, Peace and Dignity remains gravely concerned with the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only does the virus have damaging and deadly health consequences, but some businesses and sellers are also using this pandemic as an opportunity for price gouging, raising the prices on basic commodities (like food and hand sanitizer) to an unreasonable extent for their own profit.
The Africans Rising movement urges African governments to intervene in these unethical business practices. Price gouging violates consumer and human rights, leaving many people unable to afford the cost of food or necessary health supplies. In such trying times, we all deserve access to affordable foodstuffs and basic goods that allow us to keep ourselves and our families safe. Governments have the unique ability to regulate business and ensure fair pricing, and we appeal to them to use their authority to prevent opportunistic businesses and vendors from profiting off of this global health crisis.
Our movement calls on African governments to implement measures that protect consumer rights. In the example of Rwanda, governments can fix prices on staple food items like rice, sugar, and cooking oil so that families can afford them. Governments should also support consumers by remaining vigilant in monitoring market prices and creating hotlines for consumers to report businesses and vendors engaging in price gouging.
To ensure governments uphold this responsibility, we are asking our members and supporters to contact the federal ministries and departments responsible for overseeing business matters. We also ask that you fill out this form when you encounter businesses or vendors that are unfairly raising their prices during this pandemic. As we collect more information about businesses taking advantage of this time of suffering, our movement can better work, along with public officials, to take necessary action against price gouging.
Life in the time of corona presents many uncertainties, but one thing we should be able to count on is our ability to work together. Our movement, Africans Rising, is holding governments accountable in this pandemic. We all need to take collective action to make sure that citizens can preserve the dignity of their lives by feeding and taking care of their families as we work to end the spread of this disease.
Together we rise!
